‘You look very lovely,’ Pierce told her abruptly as he handed her the glass of sherry.
‘So do you,’ she returned with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.
Some of the tension seemed to go out of his shoulders as he relaxed slightly. ‘How did your meeting with Gary go last night?’ He sat down opposite her.
‘Fine.’ She nodded. ‘About sending Dave Benson over for me…’
‘I thought I was getting off too lightly,’ Pierce sighed.
‘Then why did you do it?’
‘Habit,’ he replied instantly.
It was such a simple, blunt answer that Danny didn’t want to pursue it. How could she question a man on the instincts of a lifetime? ‘Are we having something nice for dinner?’ she asked eagerly. ‘I’m afraid living on my own has made me lazy, it’s all I can do to open a tin most nights.’
For a moment he looked taken aback by the sudden change of subject, and then his mouth thinned. ‘You don’t seem to have suffered from it,’ he drawled hardily.
Danny wasn’t sure she liked his tone or the way he was looking at her, but she didn’t particularly want the evening to end before it had begun either.
‘I believe we’re having some sort of beef dish,’ he added tersely at her continuing silence.
‘Some sort of beef dish’ turned out to be the tenderest most delicious tasting thinly cut strips of beef Danny had ever tasted. And as it had been preceded by prawns in avocado, and was followed by a creamy chocolate confection, she relished every mouthful of the meal, barely having room for the strong coffee that was served to her while Pierce enjoyed a brandy. In contrast to her own enjoyment of the meal Pierce ate sparingly, almost uninterestedly, and she couldn’t stop herself criticising him because of it.
‘Didn’t you like the meal?’ She made it sound as if he had to be insane if he hadn’t.
‘It was adequate,’ he said in a bored voice.
She gave a disgusted snort. ‘You ought to try living with me for a week, then you would know what adequate is all about!’
He raised dark brows over mocking eyes. ‘Are you propositioning me?’
She gave an embarrassed glance at the butler, a middle-aged man almost as haughty as his employer. ‘That will be all, Masters,’ Pierce dismissed the man without even looking up, still watching Danny.
She chuckled once they were alone in the intimacy of the small dining-room. ‘You’ve left the poor man burning with curiosity as to what my answer is going to be!’
‘I’m burning with curiosity as to what your answer will be!’
She looked at him reproachfully. ‘You know very well it was a perfectly innocent remark.’
‘Pity,’ he drawled.
‘You wouldn’t say that if you really did have to eat my cooking for a week!’
‘It wasn’t the cooking I was interested in,’ he told her softly.
‘Are you always as sexually orientated as this?’ she said irritably.
‘As a rule I can’t say I give it that much thought,’ he admitted with a frown.
‘That’s because too many women make themselves available to you!’
‘You haven’t.’
‘Because I’m not,’ she answered simply.
‘Would you like that game of chess now?’
She blinked. ‘Now?’
‘Yes.’
‘I—Well, I—Yes.’ She frowned her puzzlement. ‘If that’s what you want to do.’ She nodded.
The chess pieces were beautifully carved out of jade and onyx, the board of a similar design. Danny touched the jade pieces lovingly as she put them on the board.
‘Are you as good as you like to think you are?’
She looked across the low table at Pierce. ‘I didn’t say I was good, only that I am the family champion.’
He nodded. ‘How about a small wager on the outcome?’
‘You want to bet on the result of this chess game?’ she asked warily.
‘It makes it more—interesting.’
‘That depends on what the wager is,’ Danny said drily, not at all enamoured of the gleam of intent in his eyes.
‘You.’
She gave a splutter of laughter. ‘I had a feeling last night that this was what you had in mind when you asked if I played.’
‘You find it funny?’ He scowled.
‘I’m interested to hear what I get if I win.’ Amusement sparkled in her eyes.
‘What is it you want?’ he asked in a disgruntled voice.
She pretended to give it some thought. ‘A Ferrari, I think,’ she mocked. ‘A red one.’
‘It’s yours,’ Pierce told her instantly.
‘Pierce, I was only joking,’ she lightly teased him.
‘I wasn’t,’ he said grimly. ‘No woman has ever asked for a Ferrari before, but it’s less boring than jewellery.’
‘You do this sort of thing, often, get a woman in bed with you by playing chess with them?’
His mouth twisted. ‘Most of the women I’ve met over the years wouldn’t know a chess-board from backgammon!’
‘I’m not going to bed with a man on the result of a chess game either!’ she gasped.
‘You could win the Ferrari.’
‘I told you, I don’t really want a Ferrari!’
‘Then what do you want?’ His voice was raised angrily, his eyes silver. ‘Just tell me what you want so that I can make love to you!’
CHAPTER FOUR
‘YOU could try asking.’
He looked up at her sharply, searchingly, Danny looking steadily back at him. ‘Well?’ he finally said gruffly.
‘I have to say no—’
‘What are you, some sort of damned tease?’ His arm swung out and he knocked all the chess pieces off the board, cursing angrily as he saw what he had done. ‘You tell me to ask and then turn me down!’
She sighed. ‘I didn’t turn you down.’ She shook her head. ‘You just didn’t let me finish. I have to say no for now,’ she continued softly, ‘because I truly don’t believe we’ve known each other long enough to start such an intimate relationship. But I am attracted to you, and I— She drew in a deep breath. ‘I believe I might one day like to go to bed with you.’
‘One day?’ he prompted hardly.
‘When we know each other better.’ She nodded.
‘How well do you have to know a man before you go to bed with him?’
She wished she knew; she had never even contemplated it before. But she wasn’t going to lie about being attracted to this man, he would only have to kiss her again to be aware of it.
‘Better than I know you now, obviously.’ She grimaced.
‘Move in with me,’ he said forcefully.
Her eyes widened. ‘I only live half a mile away,’ she derided. ‘Besides, I have my work to do.’
‘Let Zacky Boone take over for a few weeks.’
A few weeks. Was he putting a time limit on their relationship before it had begun? ‘I don’t think so, Pierce.’ She shook her head.
‘I want you.’
‘Yes, I know,’ she sighed. ‘I’m attracted to you, too—’
‘I’m not just attracted to you,’ he bit out savagely. ‘I burn with wanting you. All the time I was with Marie-Clare in Paris I was wishing she were you,’ he admitted harshly, as if he didn’t particularly like the fact. ‘I want you in my bed, Danielle! I want to touch you and I want you to touch me, too.’
Danny swallowed hard at the image that conjured up in her mind, her nipples tautened beneath the cheesecloth material. ‘Talking in that way can only make things worse—’
‘Because neither of us wants to talk!’ His eyes glittered with desire. ‘I can guarantee that this time you wouldn’t feel empty—far from it!’
It was obvious from this statement that the comment she had once made about him had hurt more than he had shown at the time, and the insult had been far from forgotten. ‘Emotionally I would,’ she answered softly. ‘And that’s what’s important.�
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Pierce’s mouth twisted. ‘If you think that in time I’ll fall in love with you you’re in for a great disappointment.’
She shook her head sadly. ‘I’m hoping I’ll fall in love with you; because that’s the only reason I’ll ever make love with you. It wouldn’t be making love otherwise, would it?’ she reasoned logically.
‘Love rarely enters into it,’ he said disgustedly.
‘It has to for me, I’m afraid.’ She grimaced.
‘Even if I’ll never love you in return?’
She shrugged. ‘It’s the risk everyone takes.’
‘I prefer not to do so.’
‘You’re lucky if you have the choice,’ she chided softly. ‘Most people aren’t that lucky.’
‘It isn’t a matter of luck,’ he bit out coldly. ‘Love is a vulnerable emotion I never intend to feel again!’
Danny presumed he had once loved his wife. And by the sound of it it hadn’t been a happy marriage. He had never remarried, so presumably the one time had been enough to show him it wasn’t for him.
‘You shouldn’t have given me my job back so easily,’ she teased him. ‘Now that just might have worked as blackmail now that I’ve had time to see how sparse the jobs like mine are.’
Instead of the lessening of tension she had been hoping for Pierce’s scowl deepened. ‘I didn’t use blackmail on you concerning Benson’s reinstatement,’ he rasped. ‘I offered you an exchange.’
‘My body for his job,’ she scorned.
‘It seemed very fair to me.’
She could see that it did, that he considered it had been a very good deal! Poor Pierce, his whole outlook was warped by the users he had met in his life. ‘I suppose it was,’ she accepted without rancour, going down on her knees to begin picking up the chess pieces.
‘Leave them,’ Pierce ordered impatiently.
‘Don’t be silly—’
‘I said leave them!’ He pulled her roughly to her feet, his expression gentling as he looked down at her startled face. ‘Why did you have to be so young?’ he groaned.
‘I don’t really think age has anything to do with it,’ she murmured softly.
‘No,’ he admitted raggedly. ‘It’s your idealism that’s the stumbling block!
‘I have your respect,’ she claimed. ‘Don’t I?’
He looked angry. ‘Is that all you want from me, respect?’
She smiled. ‘It’s a start.’
‘To what?’ He put her away from him, eyeing her warily.
Danny shrugged. ‘To liking.’
‘You mean loving,’ he scorned derisively. ‘That route isn’t for me, Danielle.’
She believed him, knew that he had gone all the years since his marriage without loving another woman; she certainly wasn’t going to be the woman to achieve the impossible after all this time. ‘How long is it since you had a relationship, Pierce?’
His brows rose. ‘I got back from Paris only yesterday…’
‘I said a relationship, Pierce, not a convenience,’ she corrected gently.
Irritation darkened his face. ‘You mean talking together, laughing together, sitting together enjoying the silence, loving together?’ he derided. ‘More years than I care to think about!’
‘Of course, you don’t trust anyone,’ she remembered sadly.
‘No, I don’t,’ he confirmed hardly. ‘Now, are you going to bed with me or aren’t you?’
‘I aren’t—I mean, I’m not,’ Danny said awkwardly, thrown a little off-balance by his uncharacteristic aggression. ‘Do you still want to have a game of chess?’
‘Hell, no!’ He scowled. ‘I believe the evening is at an end.’
Her eyes widened. ‘You’re throwing me out?’
‘Yes.’
‘That isn’t very polite of you.’
‘I’m not feeling very polite,’ he growled, his hands thrust into his trousers pockets. ‘In fact, I’m feeling very impolite!’
She couldn’t hold back her humour, starting to chuckle, then to laugh outright.
‘You look like a little boy denied a treat,’ she teased his disgruntled mood.
‘I feel like a big boy denied a treat!’
She laughed again, feeling a thrill of pleasure when Pierce began to chuckle, too. He really was very handsome when he relaxed a little. ‘Let’s play chess,’ she suggested impulsively. ‘I feel like beating you,’ she added challengingly.
‘Isn’t once in an evening enough?’ he mocked drily, starting to arrange the pieces on the board.
Her mouth quirked. ‘I’ve only delayed the inevitable, we both know that.’
He frowned. ‘Don’t let me hurt you, Danielle,’ he said gruffly.
‘I told you, I won’t have the choice.’
He looked at her quietly for several tension filled seconds, suddenly drawing in a ragged breath. ‘Jade or onyx?’ he finally asked abruptly.
She opted for jade, keeping up light-hearted chatter as they prepared the board, not allowing herself the luxury of thought until they faced each other across the table. Even then she wouldn’t allow herself to dwell on the fact that she was already falling in love with this man.
‘Have you heard from your nephew lately?’ She put the question casually.
Pierce made his opening move, looking up at her curiously. ‘Nigel?’
Her mouth twisted. ‘I believe Henry Sutherland only has one nephew,’ she mocked.
‘You didn’t seem angry by my deception at the time,’ he frowned.
‘I’m not angry now,’ she shook her head, ‘I’m sure it was fun being someone else for a while,’
‘Yes,’ he agreed abruptly. ‘And why should you want to know about Nigel?’
She shrugged. ‘I haven’t been able to speak to Cheryl for several days, and I—well, I just wondered if you knew anything about them?’
‘Nigel is at my office in New York,’ Pierce supplied absently, studying the board.
‘Then why isn’t Cheryl answering the telephone?’ she muttered to herself.
Pierce looked up sharply. ‘Are you genuinely worried about her?’
‘No, I—Yes,’ she sighed. ‘She’s never at home any more.’
‘Maybe she’s found someone else to amuse her while Nigel’s away,’ he dismissed.
‘I know you don’t mean to be insulting, Pierce,’ she said forcefully. ‘But you are!’
‘Sorry,’ he said drily. ‘Would you like me to make enquiries in London?’
‘No,’ she sighed again. ‘Cheryl wouldn’t like that.’
‘It would be done discreetly.’
Having someone go and spy on her young sister? No, she couldn’t do that, no matter how concerned she was. ‘I don’t think so, thank you.’ She shook her head, looking down at the chessboard, where she already seemed to be losing rather badly. ‘I’m glad we didn’t make the wager!’ she said with self-derision. ‘You’re too good at this!’
‘That’s what Sa—’ He broke off, his expression harshly angry.
‘Yes?’ Danny prompted softly.
‘Nothing,’ he bit out forcefully.
Danny moistened her lips. ‘You used to play chess with your wife?’
‘I never talk about my wife!’
He had been going to talk about her just now—and he was furiously angry with himself because of it. ‘What was her name?’ she asked gently.
‘Sally.’ Pierce stood up, his movements jerky.
‘You loved her very much,’ she realised with concern.
‘Of course I—’ He glared at her with narrowed eyes. ‘Why are you asking these questions?’
‘Because she’s part of you, and I want to know all of you.’
‘She was dead before you even went to school,’ he dismissed harshly.
It sounded a very long time when he put it like that! ‘You’ve been alone all that time?’
Pierce frowned. ‘You aren’t going to subject me to the usual inadequate platitudes?’ he rasped.
&nb
sp; ‘You’ve just said it, they are inadequate. Only you can know the extent of your loss—or not.’
‘Yes,’ he acknowledged flatly.
Danny could see how disturbed he was by the conversation, she stood up. ‘Why don’t we finish this game another night? Or you can take it that you won, if you like,’ she teased. ‘You’re not in my class!’
He gave an impatient snort. ‘This has been a hell of an evening for you.’
‘I’ve enjoyed it.’
‘You couldn’t have done.’ He shook his head derisively. ‘I’ve handled this thing with the finesse of a callow youth; I should have seduced you into bed, not bluntly asked or tried to buy you!’
She smiled at his disgust with himself. ‘Maybe next time,’ she mocked.
‘You’re on your guard now.’ He grimaced.
Danny laughed softly. ‘Come over for dinner tomorrow,’ she invited. ‘I’ll open a couple of tins and throw us a meal together.’
‘That sounds—’
‘Awful,’ she finished. ‘I know.’ She nodded happily. ‘Actually, I’m not too bad a cook. Gary had no complaints the other night, anyway. He wasn’t to know I opened a tin of soup, bought one of those pre-cooked roast meats, and made a packet meringue. As far as he was concerned I’d cooked him a meal fit for a king.’
Pierce was chuckling softly by the time she had finished. ‘Tinned soup and pre-cooked food sounds delicious.’
She made a face at him. ‘You’re sure you wouldn’t rather invite me over here again?’ she coaxed. ‘You must have the best cook in the country!’
‘You may have noticed, I’m a little tired of Cordon Bleu cooking,’ he said drily.
‘In that case you’re perfectly welcome to sample the delights of my kitchen.’
‘I’ll walk you home.’ He smiled.
It was a beautiful summer’s evening, the moon very bright in the starlit sky, the man at her side perfect, too. He didn’t seem like Henry Sutherland the Fourth at this moment, just a very attractive man who had a surprisingly dry sense of humour that seemed to have come as a surprise to him, too!
‘How long since you walked a girl home after a date?’ she teased as they entered her garden, the scent of roses sweet and heady.
He seemed to give the question some thought as they reached her door. ‘Hmmph years.’ He ran a hand over his mouth as he said the actual number.
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